# Documentation Is A Waste Of Time

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2016-03-04
- Length: 1h 00m
- Episode: 289
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-03-04-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/289-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the critical role of documentation in hardware engineering, contrasting the rigorous requirements of military contractors with the 'get it done' culture of startups where knowledge is often lost when key designers leave. They analyze the Foxconn acquisition of Sharp as a supply chain security move by a giant with excess cash, and review the Raspberry Pi 3's integration of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth into its processor. The conversation concludes with a critique of the 'Coolest Cooler' Kickstarter failure, highlighting how poor unit economics and fulfillment planning can lead to bankruptcy despite massive funding.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-03-04-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time#t=0) Introduction: Travel plans and conference updates
- [7:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-03-04-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time#t=434) The value of documentation and tribal knowledge
- [22:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-03-04-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time#t=1325) Foxconn acquires Sharp and Apple's supply chain power
- [27:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-03-04-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time#t=1666) Raspberry Pi 3 integration and platform evolution
- [33:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-03-04-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time#t=1986) High-speed video and vacuum fluorescent displays
- [46:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-03-04-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time#t=2819) Gates Foundation energy letter and physics of superheroes
- [54:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-03-04-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time#t=3241) Crowdfunding logistics and the Coolest Cooler failure

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Contextual Electronics (company)
- EEV blog (company)
- Hackaday Belgrade (other)
- Resonate (other)
- Voyager probe (other)
- Embedded.fm (other)
- Sharp (company)
- Foxconn (company)
- Apple (company)
- Raspberry Pi 3 (product)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Gates Foundation (other)
- Coolest Cooler (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [203: Save My Board](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-06-08-203-save-my-board) (Embedded.fm)
- [Hardware Startup Horror Stories and How to Avoid Them with Dave Millman of BizDev.Global](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-03-23-hardware-startup-horror-stories-and-how-to-avoid-them-with-dave-millman-of-bizde) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [288: You Got a Screen!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-05-10-288-you-got-a-screen) (Embedded.fm)
- [122: Glue a Board to Your Resume](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-10-21-122-glue-a-board-to-your-resume) (Embedded.fm)
- [3: Plenty of Candy, No Guns](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-29-3-plenty-of-candy-no-guns) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-03-04-documentation-is-a-waste-of-time. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Amp Hour.